Guessing Games

Author Notes:

So, how about that first panel, right? Ok.. so here's the thing: I've been using tones sparingly lately because I am striving to be more detail oriented. Especially in the first panel of most pages, where I'm trying to at least make the backgrounds a bit more interesting to "set the scene" as it were. Now, I did actually draw a lot of 'grass lines' in the top panel, much like in the 2nd panel, but obviously.. more. However, I also recently found pattern brushes for Manga Studio that included the one for the grass that I used in panel 1. Now obviously I have some manga influences, but I don't feel like I'm *overly* influenced by it. That being said, the use of tones is something manga relies on, and so I don't feel like I'm "cheating" on the art here, because I'm just using another available tool. On the other hand, I feel like I should actually draw each blade of glass in the name of 'artistic integrity'.

Comments:

I don't think you're cheating at all Scott. The art is panels one and two are fantastic! (who am I kidding? Its ALL good) I like the Font you're using for the Elemental. And if AF has been dead...then might ONE revelation be that she's been succeeded? There's a NEW Anger Faerie (Possibly Cloney)

@White Owl - glad you like the art in those two panels. I'm really trying to incorporate more detail and different camera angles into the pages, rather than just a lot of talking heads. The use of more tones and/or pattern brushes is something I shouldn't feel "bad" about using, but the traditional artist in me says it's kind of 'cheating' because if I were just penciling this page and sending it to someone else to ink, I'd have had to draw in those blades of grass of they wouldn't be in the scene. Still, I'm NOT sending it off to be inked, so I should use all the tools I have, right?

Or something like that.

Also, I really lead that last comment as "Possibly Clooney" and thought George Clooney would be an odd casting choice for Angry Faerie. Cloonaerie? Faelooney? Batfleck?

You know at one time I was heavy in to drawing scenery (by hand, no digital). I found drawing each blade of grass doable but VERY time consuming on large pictures. In terms of letting us see an area such as in panel one it's a good idea. How you then transitioned to the form you used in panel two is also a good way of doing it. It lets us know it's still grass without being overly detailed. So overall I would say your doing a good job of mixing styles.

In panel four ... AF has lips! O_O
Seriously though she seems more detailed there. More so than in old close ups.

On a final note. Until further notice anything that isn't AF I am going to consider as being Loki in disguise.

@Spikes - The funny thing is that underneath the pattern brush grass in panel 1? I drew the grass. Then I covered it up on a 2nd layer while debating which I'd use. I didn't draw each blade of grass, but it was more detailed than the grass in panel 2, but not as detailed as the pattern brush. I'm doing the same thing right now while drawing the page for next Wednesday, and there's a good chance I'll end up using the pattern brush again. Go figure.

And yes.. AF has lips. She also has a nose. Weird eh? I'm definitely trying to get a bit more detail into everything I'm doing. Time will tell if it succeeds or not :)

@BrightFalcon - I know, it's just a matter of getting over the idea of it being "cheating" and more about it just being another tool at my disposal. The weird thing is, I've never thought about using photoshop to color artwork as 'cheating'. So I suppose it's more the mindset of "this is actually doing some of the drawing for me" (in the case of the grass blades) rather than "this is just adding a different kind of screen tone.

I wouldn't call it cheating but I know what you mean by it feeling like cheating. Why do we artists think we have to torture ourselves to be real artists? I mean yeah we often refer to artists as tortured but I think it's more emotional than it's supposed to be physical, lol. ;) Oh & I was like damn look at how badass AF is all flying backwards.